Earlier this month I was invited to give a keynote at a symposium in at the Università della Svizzera italiana in Mendrisio, called Marginal urbanities: The hidden face of planetary urbanisation. It was organized by Mosè Cometta and Giulia Scotto, two wonderful scholars who did a great job putting together the program. It was broad enough that we could all learn from each other’s perspectives but small enough to be intimate and personal. A tough balance, that.

My keynote focused mostly on introducing my newly-started Ambizione project, though focusing more on the urban development impacts rather than the geopolitical angles. From there, I asked what a view on and from the margins might bring to the study of mega-events and vice versa. My perspective generally has been one of inequalities and exclusions. Are we using different terms to describe the same processes? Or is there something about the marginal that brings to light new dimensions that might otherwise be overlooked?

People engaged well with my talk and had great questions. I really enjoy this level of interaction, and find that it’s too often missing in the bigger events. This symposium was the opposite of that. We all had time to speak our minds and listen and share. Proper intellectual exchange. More like this, please!